Goldeneye Ducks

Goldeneye ducks used to be thought of as just winter visitors
to Scotland, but have now become a consistent breeding species, mostly
due to the large number of nesting boxes that are provided by enthusiasts.

Unfortunately the boxes, which are usually mounted on
trees, can easily be predated by pine martens with the resulting loss
of the eggs. This behaviour was witnessed and photographed in May 2004
from the badger hide and again in May 2006.

Pine Marten about to steal goldeneye duck eggs

RSPB and Scottish Natural Heritage are experimenting with
sheets of shiny plastic and metal which they wrap around the trees in
the hope that they will be too slippery for the pine martens to climb.

We in BoG-WiG took the idea a stage further and mounted
two boxes directly on top of plastic sewer pipes which have now become
known as Bantick Poles, thanks to the Vincent Wildlife Trust, the BBC
and others. The ducks took to the boxes like - well, ducks - and laid
14 eggs in one and 16 in the other and the pine martens failed to gain
access to them.